Experience Hunter Valley Wildlife Park which is home to a wide range of animals from Koalas, albino kangaroos, wombats, Tasmanian Devils, Peacocks, cheaters, lions, giraffes, alligators and much more. You can purchase a small amount of food from our team which will allow you to get up close and personal with our kangaroos while feeding them. You can also have the option to experience our giraffe feeding, where you will enjoy an up close and personal encounter with our giraffes while feeding them. Take the chance to explore the park at your own time and get the chance to learn more about the diverse collection when listening to one of our keeper talks or sit back and enjoy watching our animals.

The shallows encounter offers you the opportunity to get close to sharks and rays in a natural lagoon-style habitat. Get to know the true nature of these animals in a safe and educational environment. When you arrive at Irukandji you will be greeted by staff members who will guide you through the whole process, from learning how to interact safely with the animals to providing you with all the equipment needed to enter the water and meet the animals. Choose from the option of wearing your own clothes in the water and just getting your feet and legs wet, or renting a wetsuit for an extra $10 to get fully immersed in the warm water of the lagoon. You can choose to go barefoot or cover up your toes with a pair of wear and keep souvenir socks. At the lagoons, you will be given a feeding stick and food for the sharks and rays, and then guided around to the different pools by a knowledgable fish keeper. Each of the pools is home to different species of fish with specific food and information provided at each one. You will get to reach in and interact with the animals as they swim around in their aquatic homes. Irukandji features 2 large, deep, natural-style lagoons housing a variety of different animals. In the Fingill lagoon, you’ll meet a whole bunch of friendly and curious rays who will glide over your feet and eagerly snatch the food from your sticks. Reach down to pet them and feel the different textures of their skin. Then over at the tropical lagoon, meet a few more rays plus a variety of shark species including zebra sharks, brown-banded bamboo sharks, whitetip reef sharks, and the huge tawny nurse sharks. You can interact with them while listening to the keepers as they give educational talks about sharks, rays, and marine conservation. Afterward, you can rinse off under a warm shower and towel down before heading in for a cruise around the tropical aquarium, watching the clownfish flounce busily around the anemone and the lionfish proudly cruise around their home. Check out the souvenir shop for a large range of sustainable gifts, cute fluffy toys, snacks, cold drinks, and hot coffee.

When you book a stingray snorkel you will have the opportunity to experience encounters with sharks and rays across two different lagoons and a bunch of smaller pools. Your ticket includes a shallow water encounter where you can feed and pet a variety of species of sharks and rays whilst wading on the sandy shores of the lagoons. You’ll be given food for the animals so they will come and find you and let you pet them. Then you’ll also get the extra special experience of swimming in the deep water of Fingill lagoon and gliding around with amazing rays. When you first arrive at Irukandji Shark & Ray Encounters you will be led by a friendly team member to prepare you for your encounter. You’ll be suited up with a wetsuit and snorkel ready for your adventure. The guide will be there throughout your whole 30 minute snorkel to offer information, education and assistance during your activity. You’ll be immersed in the deep water while rays and stingrays up to 200kg will glide past you and under you. You’ll be mesmerised by their grace and serenity of their underwater world. After the snorkel you will be free to wander the aquarium and check out the animals in the different pools. There are a variety of sharks at the tropical lagoon that you can pet and feed, as well as the rays. Your whole encounter will leave you with a newfound appreciation for these gentle, elusive creatures and with a deep sense of stewardship for the ocean. Afterward, you can rinse off under a warm shower and towel down before heading in for a cruise around the tropical aquarium Watch the clownfish flounce busily around the local flora and the lionfish proudly cruise around their home. Check out the souvenir shop for a large range of sustainable gifts, cute fluffy toys, snacks, cold drinks, and hot coffee.

Spend a few hours or a whole day at Port Stephens Koala Sanctuary learning about Australia’s beloved koalas and the threats they face. Walk amongst the beautiful Australian bush and see koalas in their natural environment doing what they do best – sleeping and eating.  Sanctuary Story Walk is a meandering 250-meter pathway offering an immersive educational experience of the koala and its habitat. The koalas at the sanctuary have been brought there for treatment and rehabilitation after injury, with the aim of returning them to the wild if possible. At the Koala Hospital veterinarians care for koalas requiring treatment and general check-ups. You can watch through a viewing window as veterinary staff carry out examinations and administer treatment to koala inpatients, however there is no guarantee when these procedures may occur. Newcastle Airport SKYwalk is a 225-meter-long pathway with viewing platforms raised 10 metres into the tree canopy. The unique tree top perspective is a great photo opportunity. You may even find yourself eye-to-eye with a cuddly koala – always remember, look but don’t touch, they are wild animals. Due to the natural setting of Port Stephen’s Koala Sanctuary you may spot echidnas shuffling around on the ground around the walkways. If you are lucky you may catch a glimpse of an adorable brush tail possum hanging out in a tree hollow as well. After you have experienced all the attractions Port Stephens Koala Sanctuary offers, finish with a visit to Fat Possum Kiosk. Grab a snack, coffee or treat and browse a variety of souvenirs and gifts. Proceeds go towards the continued conservation effort of koalas and their threatened habitat. Visiting Port Stephens Koala Sanctuary entails a round-trip walk of about 1km in length. All pathways and elevated viewing platforms are easily accessible and designed for all ages and abilities. Some limited bench seating is provided along the Sanctuary Story Walk.